Black Leaders Support McCain (It’s about Character Not Race)
Blacks are expected to vote for Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois in overwhelming numbers, likely to exceed 95 percent. But there are some who are going against the tide.
The Republican presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. John McCain of Ariz. has garnered the support of some leaders in the black community.
Freedom’s Journal magazine has released a video called “Faith, Race, and Politics, How Should Black Christians Vote.” It was made after the “values debate” in September.
Among others, the video features syndicated columnist Star Parker and Bishop Harry R. Jackson, president of High Impact Leadership Coalition. But the most recognizable name is Dr. Alveda King, director of African-American Outreach, Gospel of Life Ministries, a niece of Dr. Martin Luther King.
“I am very excited about the McCain-Palin ticket, simply because they support the values that mean the most to me,” Ms. King said. “It is a plus to me that Sarah Palin is a woman because I’ve been elected to office as a wife and mother. I’ve been appointed to office as a woman and at the time I was a mother and became a grandmother.”
Ms. King said her experience taught her she could both be a good mother and still serve the public. This is something she has in common with Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska, McCain’s running mate.
However, the most important reason she is backing the McCain-Palin ticket is its commitment to the pro-life cause.
About three dozen black pastors who also support Mr. McCain. Among them are Bishop Robert Smith, pastor, of the Word of Outreach Christian Center Little Rock, Ark., who endorsed Mr. McCain after his Oct. 5 sermon and Rev. Stephen Broden of Fair Park Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas.
Not only do many black leaders support Mr. McCain, they are also outraged by what they perceive is the hypocrisy of Democrats who were silent when people like Harry Bellefonte and Rev. Al Sharpton said former Secretary of State Colin Powell was an Uncle Tom - but now adore Mr. Powell.
In an October 2002 interview with a San Diego radio station Mr. Bellefonte said:
“There’s an old saying in the days of slavery, there were those slaves who lived on the plantation and there were those slaves that lived in the house. You got the privilege of living in the house if you served the master … exactly the way the master intended to have you serve him.”
Mr. Bellefonte went on to clarify that the master in this instance was President George W. Bush.
Frances Rice, president of the National Black Republican Association, wonders what has changed.
“Democrats now love Gen. Colin Powell, but spewed out the most vile, racist attacks on Powell before he endorsed Obama,” she said in an Oct. 20 press release.
Michael P. Tremoglie can be reached at mtremoglie@thebulletin.us
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